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When Hugh Acheson was named a F&W Best New Chef in 2002 alongside future culinary stars like Grant Achatz, Michael Anthony, Laurent Gras, Suzanne Tracht, and Dan Barber, he shared the recipe for the Frogmore Stew he served at his Athens, Georgia restaurant, Five & Ten. The Lowcountry boil, laden with shrimp, andouille, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and Old Bay, and named for the South Carolina town where it was created, is a perfect distillation of Acheson’s sensibilities. It’s seasonal, Southern-rooted, and flavor-rich without too much fuss, or as he quipped at the time, “It’s simple yet refined. We’re not into foam yet.”
In the years hence, Acheson never did opt for schmancy trappings or fads. In addition to Five & Ten, the Canadian-born, self-taught chef opened restaurants and coffee shops throughout his adopted state, wrote multiple cookbooks including the James Beard Award-winning A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen, picked up another James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast, built a rabid following for his wry and precise presence as a contestant and then judge on various iterations of Top Chef, sold or closed all those restaurants, and became a private chef.
All the while, Acheson has stayed true to that ethos of “simple yet refined,” starting a nonprofit called Seed Life Skills to arm kids with the home economics basics that used to be taught in schools, and writing recipes (which he often illustrates himself) that meld the wisdom of pro kitchens with the practical needs of busy home cooks who need to get dinner on the table.
While it’s tempting to share every last one of the 45 recipes Hugh Acheson has shared with Food & Wine over the past couple of decades, this sample will give you a taste of what makes him a chef — and teacher — for the ages.
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Umami Meatloaf with Red Pepper–Tomato Sauce
Victor Protasio / FOOD STYLING by MARGARET MONROE DICKEY / PROP STYLING by JULIA BAYLESS
Hugh Acheson had never made a meatloaf before his clients asked for one, but says “I gave it a shot, realizing that my many years of making terrines and pâtés would give it a good chance of being pretty awesome.” The bet paid off and he came up with a rendition made with a mix of mushrooms, beef, miso, and soy and Worcestershire sauces for maximum umami.
Crispy Mushrooms with Charred Green Beans
Victor Protasio / FOOD STYLING by MARGARET MONROE DICKEY / PROP STYLING by JULIA BAYLESS
Hugh Acheson leaned into decades of restaurant experience to develop a clever technique to make gloriously crispy mushrooms in the oven, no dehydrator or air fryer required. You’ll be swiping this trick to use everywhere, but try it first alongside skillet-charred green beans with a scattering of Thai basil and mint leaves.
Wheat Berry Salad with Shrimp
Victor Protasio / FOOD STYLING by MARGARET MONROE DICKEY / PROP STYLING by JULIA BAYLESS
“It’s so handy to have grains cooked to tenderness and kept in the fridge, ready to use in a panoply of ways,” says Acheson, who thinks of wheat berries as a secret weapon for getting good food on your table. “They can be crunchy, soft, soupy, or a porridge and are delicious hot or cold,” he explains. They’re especially appealing dressed in a parsley-sumac vinaigrette alongside shrimp, radishes, tomatoes, feta, and plenty of parsley and scallions.
Best-Ever Roast Chicken
This chicken was at the core of Acheson’s home ec syllabus, giving kids and teachers alike the foundation for a basic dish they could make for the rest of their life. There’s only two ingredients — a chicken and salt — but the technique and simple details are what transform it into a recipe you’ll come to rely on.
Crisp Chicken Thighs with Peas and Carrots
If you’re not in the mood to roast a whole chicken, Acheson’s pan-crisped chicken thighs are a winner, especially with a side of vibrant vegetables in a mint and lemon dressing. A buttery hot sauce served on the side makes the combo irresistible.
Maple–Cider Vinegar Roasted Carrots
Hope you’ve enjoyed carrots plenty of ways because this is the last recipe you’ll be making — on repeat, for the rest of your life. Acheson is a certified carrot savant and he deploys both the body and the tops in this skillet method. Roasted cashews bring the crunch while maple syrup and apple cider vinegar make this the sweet and tart side of your dreams.
Crispy Salmon with Fennel Slaw
© Christina Holmes
If you’re trying to get more fish into your diet, Acheson’s easy method is the perfect place to start. He flips salmon upside down for skin that’s as crisp as a potato chip and pairs it with a cool, easy, dill-kissed fennel and red onion slaw that’ll become a staple in your kitchen on weeknights, or even for a casual get-together.
Beans and Bacon on Buttered Toasts
Playing with the notion of traditional British beans on toast, Acheson brightens things up with quickly crisped turnip slices dressed with lemon and parsley, and a shaving of Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. It’s quick, surprisingly elegant, and hearty enough to serve as either an appetizer or a satisfying dinner, depending on how you slice it.
Kimchi-Creamed Collard Greens
In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best of all time, noting, “Among our favorites is this savory side dish of collards simmered with onion, bacon, chicken stock, vinegar, and sorghum, laced with a spicy kimchi cream sauce that gives the dish a funky kick.” If you’re not sold yet, just know that it has over 5,000 five-star ratings. Yours will come next.
Tomato-and-Peach Salad with Crisp Tofu
When you think of a summer peach and tomato salad, tofu may not be the first ingredient that comes to mind, but imagine it crisped with picked serrano peppers and a zippy ginger-lime dressing. This is summer, Hugh Acheson style.
Bacon-Scallion Biscuits with Sorghum Butter
Whatever you’re making — sop it all up with Acheson’s savory, bacon and scallion biscuits. Skip the meat if you care to, but don’t skimp on the deep, sweet butter backed with oh-so-Southern sorghum.
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